Mischief Waipara Pinot Gris 2018

June 11, 2019By Yvonne

Mischief Waipara Pinot Gris 2018 $22 Like a sensory cirque de soleil, this gris has impeccable balance, poise, bounce and bravery – just like the previous vintage but betterer. Some natural sweetness accentuates the nashi and apple notes on the nose and palate, yet the acidity is brisk and bracing, injecting delicious minerality into the … Read More

Mischief Waipara Riesling 2018

June 11, 2019By Yvonne

Mischief Waipara Riesling 2018 $22 If that’s not masses of mandarin and apricot leaping out of the glass and up your nostrils, then I’ll swallow a screwcap. The steampunk-attired, frisky fantail on the label stands atop a lemon tree and beside a buzzy bee, which is a dead giveaway for the fact that this riesling … Read More

Main Divide Pokiri Reserve North Canterbury Late Picked Pinot Gris 2014

June 11, 2019By Yvonne

Main Divide Pokiri Reserve North Canterbury Late Picked Pinot Gris 2014 $24.99 If you’re looking for indulgence on a 750ml scale, then you’ve come to the right cul-de-sac.  With it’s intense, rose-gold colour, it looks like money in the glass and the nose explodes with toasty toffee, musky spices and baked stonefruit.  Caramel and butterscotch … Read More

Mischief Waipara Pinot Noir 2017

June 5, 2019By Yvonne

Mischief Waipara Pinot Noir 2017 $28 The Mischief Waipara Pinot Noir 2017 ticks all the boxes for plushness, fruit-forwardness and is one of those wines that’ll inject life into any occasion.  Ripe cherry, raspberry and even a tiny squeak of beetroot all erupt from the glass and the flavours are soft, easy, plump and gentle … Read More

Main Divide Canterbury Merlot Cabernet 2017

May 28, 2019By Yvonne

Main Divide Canterbury Merlot Cabernet 2017 $18 If you’re a fan of berries and spice and all things nice, then this ripe and rumpty blend from the talented folk at Pegasus Bay will be right up your cul de sac.  Brightly fruited on the nose and edged with a lick of leather and Christmas pudding … Read More

Pegasus Bay Waipara Valley Chardonnay 2017

May 15, 2019By Yvonne

Pegasus Bay Waipara Valley Chardonnay 2017 $43 Wow.  Wow and triple wow.  If the immense punch of grilled grapefruit, buttered crumpet, and hints of smoked bacon and popcorn doesn’t send you sideways, the powerful, weighty, woof-inducing complexity on the palate definitely will.  Sourced from old vines and matured on its yeast lees in 30% new … Read More

Pegasus Bay Waipara Valley Pinot Noir 2016

May 7, 2019By Yvonne

Pegasus Bay Waipara Valley Pinot Noir 2016 $54 As soon as this niceness from North Canterbury nibbles its way up your nostrils, you’ll need to grab hold of a piece of solid furniture to ensure you remain upright enough to put it in your mouth safely.  The wobble factor is a result of the exotically … Read More

Saving Grace Waipara Chardonnay 2018

April 26, 2019By Yvonne

Saving Grace Waipara Chardonnay 2018 $27 This chardonnay is grown under the shadow of the Nor’West Arch in a spot sheltered by the Teviotdale hills.  Classic North Canterbury chardonnay here, with peachy, brulee and cashew characters on the nose and palate and a lingering, creamy mouthfeel. You won’t see much of it about as it’s … Read More

Torlesse Waipara Riesling 2016

March 22, 2019By Yvonne

Torlesse Waipara Riesling 2016 $20 I was really hoping for better with this riesling, having had some lovely experiences with previous vintages.  However there’s something slightly soapy and flat on the nose of the 2016, and on the palate it lacks freshness and a sense of clean fruit.  It’s unfortunately a little murky on the … Read More

Silver Wing Preservative Free Waipara Pet-Nat 2018

February 27, 2019By Yvonne

Silver Wing Preservative Free Waipara Pet-Nat 2018 $30 Fashioned in the ancient pétillant-naturel or méthode ancestrale way of allowing the still-fermenting wine to finish itself off (minds out of the gutter people!) inside the bottle, this blend of hand-picked syrah and pinot noir from Waipara has been fermented ‘wild’, in barrel with native yeasts and … Read More